League of Ireland Premier Division: season preview and free football tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the 2020 League of Ireland season.

When to bet

Season starts 7.45pm Friday

League of Ireland best bets

Shamrock Rovers to win Premier Division
3pts 7-4 bet365
Bohemians without Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers
3pts 5-2 Paddy Power
St Patrick's without Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers
1pt 3-1 Paddy Power
Graham Burke to be top goalscorer
2pts 16-1 Paddy Power
Georgie Kelly to be top goalscorer
1pt 14-1 Paddy Power
Finn Harps to finish above Shelbourne
3pts 11-5 Paddy Power

League of Ireland season preview

Shamrock Rovers look the value in what looks like a match with Dundalk to win the League of Ireland Premier Division.

The Hoops blew a big lead last season, mainly because of their inability to beat either Dundalk or Bohemians, but they seemed to have overcome that issue by the end of the season, which concluded with a deserved FAI Cup success.

Rovers have the best midfield in the league and Graham Burke will be like a new signing for Stephen Bradley's men, whose record of 75 points from 36 games last season was an encouraging return for a team progressing each year.

It is hard to pick between Dundalk and Rovers but the second-favourites are worth backing at 7-4 with bet365.

Dundalk lost Robbie Benson and Jamie McGrath in the off-season, yet there is enough excitement generated by the recruitment of Will Patching, Cammy Smith, Greg Sloggett and Darragh Leahy to more than offset those departures.

When both these teams play well, there is little to separate them. Rovers can expect a better goalscoring return from the chances created by Aaron Greene while Neil Farrugia also poses a major attacking threat.

There is plenty of value in the market without the top two. Bohemians have a much deeper squad this time around and it is worth recalling that their defensive performances dipped markedly when Rob Cornwall got injured last season. They have a great chance of finishing third and, with more attacking options than they have had for some time, they appeal at 5-2.

However, the 3-1 about St Patrick's looks worth a saver. They drew away to Shamrock Rovers and beat Derry City in Stephen O'Donnell's brief spell at the helm at the end of the campaign. He has since purged most of the 2019 squad and looks to have signed well.

Derry City have lost Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe, David Parkhouse, Sloggett and Barry McNamee and their replacements look a bit of a mixed bag. They are hard to weigh up but Deccy Devine is under a little pressure given their much bigger budget this season.

Sligo Rovers surely will not score enough goals and have lost John Mahon for around four months. Cork City's budget and squad are decimated while Waterford manager Alan Reynolds is still cobbling a squad together, although he appears to have signed astutely given the circumstances.

That leaves promoted Shelbourne, who could find it tough at this level, and perennial strugglers Finn Harps, who look value in a season match bet with Shelbourne.

Two bets stand out in the top-goalscorer market, considering the likelihood that Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers will be doing a lot of winning. The 6-1 about Patrick Hoban has disappeared so fellow striker Georgie Kelly, who could yet start ahead of him, makes more appeal at 14-1.

And Graham Burke at 16-1 looks the best bet in any ante-post market. He will play in an advanced position and is expected to score a hatful of goals in a dominant Rovers team.

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